Gravity
by Bethanay
Summary: Plagued by nightmares, Levy is losing sleep and peace of mind. She becomes tired and antsy. Although she tries to hide it, the changes don't go unnoticed by the Iron Dragon Slayer. Gajeel invites Levy to join him on a mission in order to get to the bottom of her troubles, but neither he nor Levy is prepared for the truth. But truth can never be ignored.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! I recently got into Fairy Tale and had to write this. It shouldn't be too long of a story, but I wanted to delve a bit deeper into Levy's past and both her and Gajeel's feelings. **

**I will be updating this as regularly as I can, about once a week since I already have the next few chapters outlined. And I'm so sorry to anyone who found this after starting Choices, I promise I have the next chapter almost done, but my writing style changed a lot since starting that story. and I'm trying my best to get it to match what's in my head.**

**Warning: Levy's nightmares start vague, but they're going to get more detailed and they're not pretty. If blood, gore, ect. upsets you, then I suggest skipping over the italicized paragraphs, since those are the dreams. Also, there will be suggestions of mature adult themes that may get a little intense, so, consider yourself warned. I'll let you know at the beginning of the chapter if that's the case. ****  
**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! So sad T_T**

* * *

_ ~Something always brings me back to you,_

_It never takes too long_

_No matter what I say or do_

_I still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone~_

Air painfully rushed in and out of her tiny lungs, burning them, but despite how hard she tried to regain her breath, Levy felt as if she was being choked. Sweat clung to her skin and clothes, making her feel heavy and disgusting. But more than her physical discomfort, her mental unrest was beginning to reach new heights. It had been months, years if she counted the time spent on Tenrou Island, and yet she could not stop the nightly terror. The same dream plagued her night after night, robbing her of her sleep, and lately, her sanity.

Looking beyond the relatively small pile of books on her nightstand, the small mage saw her alarm clock dutifully inform her that it was 6:13 in the morning. Knowing any further attempt at falling asleep would be in vain, Levy decided that it was a reasonable enough time to start her day.

Unlike the nights that were full of despair, the days she spent with her friends at Fairy Tail were wonderful, exactly like the fairy tale she always dreamed she would have. So, she knew no matter how bad she may feel in her bed, once she reached the guild all those dark feelings would evaporate. The promise of safety among her friend's encouraged Levy and lifted her thoughts away from her nightmare.

Pulling the heavy comforter off her body, Levy lithely jumped from her overly large bed and headed for her bathroom. The other girls questioned why she had such a large bed since she was so tiny and she always told them it was for her beloved books. And while that was true, since she would often fall asleep before placing them on the nightstand, it was only half the answer. It truth, Levy liked the feeling of being swallowed by the mattress and blankets that were far bigger than she was. It was comforting, though she would never admit it, cause that would only emphasize to the others just how small she was.

'_Small in size but not it spunk' _she reminded herself with a cocked smile.

Levy shut the bathroom door behind her and ran the tap on her shower before stripping off her pajamas and tossing them in the hamper. Once she deemed the water warm enough, she gratefully stepped under the spray, sighing in relief as her muscles responded to the warmth. Slowly, they unwound from a night of sudden tensing, leaving Levy feeling relief all over.

After allowing herself time to soak and wash herself off, Levy reluctantly stepped out of the shower, the tile on her bare feet feeling much colder than earlier. Before her sleepy mind could consider going back to the wonderful shower, she forced herself into her bedroom to change for the day. Levy mulled through her wardrobe, made mostly of cute dresses and the like. She couldn't decide between her favorite orange sleeveless dress, or her more practical white shorts when she noticed the outfit Lucy had made her buy on their most recent girl's day out. It was a very light purple, almost like a tinted white, fitted lace top with a sweetheart neckline paired with midnight blue shorts with silver studs along the seams. While the shirt was too princess-y for Levy's usual taste, she had to admit it was nice, especially with the dark shorts. And it would make Lucy happy to see it on her outside of the store.

With a roll of her brown eyes, Levy pulled the clothing in question off the hanger and slipped them onto her small body. Looking to the mirror, she was actually quite surprised to find she liked the new style. The neckline made her bust look larger, something she sorely needed when surrounded by the likes of Erza and Lucy, and the high shorts accented her already tiny waist dramatically. Best of all, they made her legs look like they were miles long.

'_Good call, Lu. I actually look taller in this. I might have to listen to your advice more often.'_

Though realistically, Levy never took her friend's advice without a grain of salt. Oh, Lucy meant well, but her excitement about certain things overshadowed her good intentions. More so as of late concerning a certain issue. Just the thought of it brought a slight blush to Levy's pale cheeks. She shook her head as if to shake away the embarrassment, and then reached to the top of her mirror for a black headband to tie back her uneven hair in her usual style.

Giving herself one last look, Levy was pleased with her appearance for the day, though she wished for the first time that she had makeup of her own to hide the darkness under her eyes. Usually, she didn't need any unless she was going out, and in those cases she just borrowed from Lucy. She pulled at the bags this way and that, trying to coerce them into disappearing, but to no avail. She sighed in defeat before pulling away from the looking glass.

Next on her to do list was make her bed, not a seemingly difficult task, but in this case, Levy needed to have stealth-like precision in order to avoid the minefield of books on her floor and to prevent herself from knocking into one of the shelves. When finished, taking longer than even she thought it would, Levy jumped back on top of her poofy comforter and picked up her current book. It was almost 7:30 am, so she figured she had a good hour or so to read before heading out to the guild.

But, as it so often happens with Levy, she was enraptured by the world in her book, needed to know more about the characters and their trials. Her sole focus and care was on the protagonist as he raced to the secret cavern under the city, desperately hoping he reached his adversary in time to stop her. Just as the climactic confrontation was about to commence, a grumble was heard. Lifting her head from the pages, Levy looked around curiously. Usually nothing could pull her attention away like that, and she didn't see anyone or anything in her room that could have made the noise. Hesitantly, she returned her gaze to her story, only to hear the same grumble once again, but this time she laughed at it.

"_Only I could be dense enough to not even hear my own stomach._'

Placing a hand over her displeased midsection in order to placate it momentarily, Levy let out another small laugh before checking to see if it was late enough to go to the guild. What she saw made her shoot up, so that she was standing atop her bed. Oh, it was late enough all right. Levy was unsure if Mira would have any breakfast left for her, though since it was 12:30! Knowing who her guild mates were, she'd be lucky if there was any lunch left by the time she got there, despite the very short distance from Fairy Hills to the guild hall.

Shoving her book into a bag and grabbing her keys, Levy made a mad dash out of her room and down the stairs.

'_Jet and Droy must be worried._' The thought passed through her mind as she left the dorm. '_I never get in so late. Sorry, guys, I'm coming!' _

Levy grew too winded halfway to the guild and slowed to a quick walk, trying to catch her breath for the second time that day. Ten minutes later, she stood in front of the large guild doors and took a moment to compose herself. Just because she was late and ran there didn't mean she had to look like it. Pushing open the doors, Levy was greeted with the normal anarchy of her beloved guild. Already, Natsu was fighting with a half naked Gray, debris left in their wake. Levy was actually impressed. It looked like they'd been going at it for a while and there were only three broken tables and Gray wasn't indecent yet. She laughed to herself, thinking her standards for a good day were in serious danger of falling too low.

Moving past the fire and ice mages' path of destruction, Levy scanned the rest of the first floor. Lucy and Wendy sat closest to her, both sets of eyes focused on the fight, monitoring it. Erza sat a ways behind them, her customary cake on the table before her and a small paperbound book in her lap. Levy's smile turned impish as she recognized the cover. It was a teen romance novel, one that Levy used to pass time and escape when she was desperate enough. Those happened to be Erza's favorite, and Levy could only assume it was because the Titania would substitute the characters with herself and a certain blue haired criminal.

Beyond the girls were the usual suspects. Gajeel was brooding in a dark corner, his eyes tracking the fight as Lily looked over the jobs board. Elfman was yelling something about being a man, though Levy couldn't tell if it was in favor of the fight or not. Cana and Wakaba were drinking by themselves since Makao was off on a father/son mission with Romeo, though Cana was eagerly trying to convince Lisanna to try a drink. Over at the bar, Mira was eyeing the brunette with scrutiny, making sure her baby sister wasn't convinced into doing anything unseemly.

Everything appeared to be as it should, but there was something out of place. Her two teammates were missing. Usually Jet and Droy were the first to notice Levy and call out to her, asking about missions or dates, or both in some cases. While sometimes she did find their level of admiration towards her to be too intense, she did appreciate that they truly cared for her. And this morning, or afternoon as she reminded herself, Levy felt like she could use a healthy dose of friendly companionship. But since neither was around, she settled for going over to the bar where Mira busied herself cleaning glasses in order to get food and answers.

"Hello Mira." She greeted, seating herself in front of the white haired girl.

"Oh, Levy! You're in late today." Mira replied, smiling kindly.

"Oh, you know me, I got caught up reading." A small blush appeared on Levy's pale cheeks as she confessed the reason for her tardiness. Mira laughed in response, but it wasn't mean. "Got anything good to eat?"

"Well, I'm sorry to say you missed breakfast…"

Even though she expected as much, Levy still showed her disappointment with a curl of her bottom lip.

"But I could whip you up a sandwich for lunch. That way you can read while you eat."

Levy laughed in good humor at Mira's offer. To be honest, it was what she was planning on doing, but still, she wished some of her guild mates thought more of her outside of her bookish ways. After all, she wasn't a one trick pony.

"Thanks, Mira." She called as the pretty girl already started collecting ingredients for Levy's order. Turning towards the tables littering the rest of the first floor, Levy made her way over and sat next to Lucy, who was currently cradling her head in her hands.

"How…how can someone go from passionate mage to complete nimrod in three seconds flat?" she mumbled to herself, but both Wendy and Levy heard her.

"Natsu?" Levy asked, though the answer was obvious. She was allowing her friend a way to vent about her dense partner.

"Yes, Natsu! He's too much sometimes! Like this morning he…ugh!" Lucy cried, dropping her head from her hands so that it banged onto the table. "Ow."

Now Levy was curious. It was no secret that Natsu broke into Lucy's apartment regularly and often would sleep in her bed. And as much as the blonde girl protested, it was usually halfhearted. All Levy's reading taught her how to read between the lines, and what she was picking up was major attraction between the partners.

"Oh? What did he do this morning?" she asked lightly, egging Lucy on.

"When I woke up, he was in my bed again! But was that enough? No! That dense idiot decided to strip down to his underwear and use me as his personal teddy bear! I nearly had a heart attack!"

Levy put her hand over her mouth, hiding her smile. She knew that her best friend didn't _really _mind being cuddled by Natsu, but until Lucy admitted it to her, Levy wouldn't push.

"B-but that's just how Natsu is." Wendy offered meekly, a noticeable red tinting the tips of her ears.

"Very true, Lu. I think you'd rather his overzealous affection than nothing at all." Levy chided with a clandestine wink just as Mira brought over her lunch and a glass of water.

Lucy had nothing to say to the other two, nothing that wouldn't condemn her further that is, so she just returned to mumbling against the table.

Wendy turned to chat with Carla, the white exceed lecturing the young girl yet again, leaving Levy with nothing to entertain her besides her book. With her sandwich between her teeth, she reached into her bag and flipped open to her marked page, picking up right at the climax of the action. There wasn't much left of the book, and she was sure by the time she finished that Jet and Droy would appear, then Team Shadow Gear would head out for mission. They hadn't had one in a while, and it was about time to start a new one.

But as Levy approached the last chapter, she slowed her pace, subconsciously giving her friends more time. It didn't matter, though. As she closed her book, happy with the ending since it was a pleasant wrap up without being cliché, Levy couldn't help but feel let down. Neither Jet nor Droy had shown, and she was beginning to worry.

Lucy still sat beside her, though now she had a pad of paper in front of her. Levy recognized it as the novel the celestial mage was working on and leaned over, jokingly trying to read over the other girl's shoulder as she wrote.

"L-Levy!" Lucy jumped, surprised by the blue haired fairy's sudden proximity. "Come on! You know I'll show you when it's ready."

"I know. I was just messing with you." Levy answered, slipping back into her seat.

"Well, congrats, you succeeded." Lucy grumbled, looking back down at her paper and erasing a stray pencil mark caused by her previous shock. "By the way, nice outfit."

"Ah, thanks. Some girl thought I should get it even though it was her style, not mine."

"I'd say you should thank her, then, since it happens to look great on you."

Levy laughed out an honest thank you before letting her thoughts go down a more serious path.

"Hey, Lu, have you seen Jet or Droy today? I was thinking of looking for a new mission, but I wanted to wait for them."

"Oh! That's right! I'm so sorry, Levy, I forgot to tell you." Lucy put down her pencil to look at her friend. "Jet and Droy took a mission early this morning. It was a guy only mission, so they told me to let you know they'd be back in a few days."

'_Well that's unexpected._' Levy thought, a little put off. Not that her partners weren't allowed to do anything without her, but it was rare than they wanted to. Even less so after going seven years without her. And she had been really looking forward to testing out her new solid script skills she had worked so hard practicing. Not to mention she needed a distraction. The only time she got a reprieve from her nightmares was when her mind was focused on work. _'I could always spend a night learning a new magic.' _

"Oh, okay. No problem, I'll just wait for them to come back." She did try to sound normal, but the pessimistic tone in her voice wouldn't leave. She hoped that Lucy would be too distracted by her novel to notice, not really feeling up to explaining why she felt down. But no such luck was ever had by Levy.

"Why don't you ask someone else to go with you?" the blonde suggested helpfully. It sounded innocent enough, but Levy saw her friend's eyes look meaningfully to the back of the guild where a certain dragon slayer sat by alone.

Before Levy could gather a reason to refuse, Lucy was pulled away by Fairy Tail's pink haired menace, claiming his partner should have his back in the fight. With a deep breath, Levy sighed in relief and focused the others' crazy antics, wishing Lucy would become braver and Natsu wouldn't be so dense. Lucy would say she was being hypocritical, but their situations were completely different. Levy and Gajeel weren't even partners, and the petite woman was certain she could not confess until she was able to stand even with the iron dragon slayer. Lucy and Natsu, though, were thick as thieves. The only thing thicker was the romantic and sexual tension between them. It was driving everyone in the guild absolutely crazy, most of all Mira. She could see the white haired beauty eyeing the couple with a dangerous glint, her mind no doubt concocting another plan to force them together. '_Poor Mira. Someone should let her know flies are caught with honey, not brute demonic force_.'

Levy sat in the guild a while longer, amusing herself with teasing Lucy a bit once the girl was able to return to the table. Though that led Lucy teasing her right back before noticing the dark circles under Levy's eyes. The smaller mage brushed her off, saying that she had stayed up late reading again. After Lucy seemed convinced, Levy busied herself by watching the budding fight. While she usually ignored the tussles that the boys started, she found this one to be pretty funny. At least, they're half thought insults were. But without her team and the promise of a mission, the merriment quickly wore off. Levy picked up her bags and wished everyone a goodnight. She stopped in the archives before leaving, picking up a book on silent magic and hoping to heaven that it got her mind tired enough to avoid it's night time terrors.

Taking her time on the way home, Levy walked through the park, enjoying the late afternoon breeze. Her hair was light and tousled easily in the wind, making her feel lighter, like she could fly if she wanted to. No one was around, so Levy laughed out loud at the thought. Even though Erza was nicknamed Titania, many people told the small mage that she was the one who looked like a fairy.

'_It would be cool to fly though. Like Peter Pan.'_

Ah, her favorite fairy tale of all. No frills, no princesses, just plain fun. After the fifth time she read the book when she was little, Levy tried to fly, jumping off the top of a gazebo that was in her backyard. Now that was painful! She had broken her arm and needed a few stitches on her head. Nearly scared her parents to death. She smiled sadly as she remembered her parents, their faces twisted with worry when she cried, relaxed with relief when they got home from the hospital.

Pulling away from the past, Levy took a look around to make sure once again that she was alone. Confirming her solitude, she jumped onto a large rock on the edge of the park, and leaped from rock to rock, pretending to fly. It was a guilty pleasure, one she indulged in vary rarely since it was rare that she walked home alone. She would never live it down if anyone, particularly from the guild, saw her acting like a kid the way she was. She was a grown woman, though she didn't always look it, so she definitely had to act like it.

After taking as much time in the park as possible, Levy turned down the street to Fairy Hills. The sun was setting behind her, casting a distortedly long shadow in front of her. She walked in her shadow until she reached the front of the dorms and stepped inside. Levy dropped her bag on the floor once she got to her room, promising herself to put everything away or at least get it off the floor in the morning. She set up on her bed with a glass of water and the archive book propped open, ready to tire herself out. Levy began reading, instantly intrigued by the appeal of silent spells.

* * *

_The darkness was so thick it blinded her, but Levy didn't need to see. She knew this scene better than any memory. She ran aimlessly, knowing that it was no use. Sure enough, a large hand closed over her shoulder, pulling her back painfully before it wrapped around her tiny side. It's partner joined on the opposite side, lifting her up over her attacker's shoulder._

"_Gi hi. Nice try, little fairy."_

_She was carried over to a tree, the same tree she passed in the park nearly every day. Red eyes, eyes that she had feared before coming to trust, and even care for, stared mercilessly at her. They were devoid of sympathy, but they were also lacking the malice that she was sure she would see in her memory. The dark haired man pushed her hard into the tree so that she hit her head. Pain lanced through her skull, and the pull of unconsciousness began to drag her away. She vaguely felt her arms being lifted and pinned to the tree._

_Before she could drift away into a deeper darkness, the dream changed. Dark gave way to light, and the area around her morphed from the grassy park to a paved city street. Pieces of rubble littered the ground, and dark red flowed through the cracks. Following the trail of red, Levy's eyes settled on a large mass bent awkwardly over some debris. A wave of foreboding told her not to look, not to go over to the poor creature, but something unknown propelled her, compelled her to see what she knew would be a terrible sight. _

_She didn't know when she started crying, only that the salty tang of tears filled her slightly open mouth as she drew closer and closer, unsure why she would cry, and yet feeling the compelling need to. She both knew everything, and yet was ignorant to all. _

_Finally, she could see the details the distance had denied her. Skin was dirty and bloody, clothes were ripped beyond repair, dark hair lay matted and clotted with dried blood and the tips were singed. Worst was the splintered spear of wood that stuck out of the man's chest. The blood was lighter on the wood, staining it a rich red. Pieces of torn flesh hung from splinters that stuck out from the main spike. 'He must have fallen on it.' Levy's mind reasoned. Looking up his body to his face, Levy was met with lifeless red eyes. She screamed._

* * *

Like so many nights before, Levy awoke, her body trying to scream but her throat was too raw and dry to comply. She barely managed a mangled screech. Tears streamed down her face, a physical reminder of her dream pain. She put her head in her hands and folded her body in on itself, leaving her in a tight little ball on her bed, hoping that the position would force her body to stay together since it felt like she was going to break at any moment. Tiny hands pushed through uneven blue locks, curling into fists and pulling until physical pain replaced mental anguish. It had always been easier for her to deal with a burning scalp or raw skin than emotional distress.

Once her scalp was red and raw and the tears on her face had dried up, Levy stood from her bed, the archive book falling from her lap. She had fallen asleep in the middle of a chapter, not even bothering to change into pajamas or get under the covers. Though her breathing was still heavy, Levy couldn't stay in that room a moment longer, feeling like the dream lingered there. Slipping on a pair of shoes, Levy grabbed her keys and fled the dorms, heading for the park.

In truth, she wanted to go to the fields outside of Magnolia, but it was too risky so late at night all by herself, so she settled for the small oasis inside the city limits. She needed the open space to think, to just feel free. Sitting on the rock she had climbed the just a few hours before, Levy wrapped her tiny arms around her waist and rocked slowly back and forth, unconsciously trying to calm herself down. She lifted her face to the fresh wind, wishing it would blow away her fears, though it would probably be more helpful to decode the dream in order to pinpoint what it was she was afraid of.

When the dream first started, the answer to that was pretty obvious. But Levy held no fear or contempt toward Gajeel now. In fact, she trusted him immensely, as much as anyone else in the guild, and more than some of them, in fact. She found herself wanting his approval, his acknowledgement of her abilities, and something else she couldn't admit even to herself. But this damned dream stopped her from thinking about him or it any further, forcing fear to rack through her slight body once again.

'_Stop. Please, this has to stop.'_

She was so enclosed in her own mind that Levy was oblivious to the approaching figure until it was right beside her.

"Hey."

* * *

**Okay! So that's the first chapter of Gravity. Let me know what you think, and I'll be back next Friday with chapter 2. Thanks for reading!**


	2. From the Dragon's Red Eyes

**Hi guys! **

**Thanks so much for the overwhelming positive response to the story. It was a pleasant surprise. And a special shout out to everyone who reviewed. I forgot to mention in the last chapter that the lyrics I put were from Sara Bareilles' Gravity, which I named this story after. That's it for now, enjoy chapter two!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or the song Gravity.**

* * *

_~You hold me without touch_

_You keep me without chains_

_I never wanted anything so much_

_Than to drown in your love_

_and not feel your reign~_

* * *

From the back of the guild, he could see everything. Salamander and the stripper were going at it for the second time that day, impressive considering the insults that had been flying non-stop since the two arrived. It had something to do with Bunny Girl, but Gajeel didn't really care. It was almost comical how dense the pink haired idiot really was, to the point he didn't even realize he had picked his mate. No one would call Gajeel smart, but at least he wasn't that stupid.

Pantherlily hopped onto the table, placing himself right in front of Gajeel's face.

"How about this one?" the black exceed asked, lifting a mission request for approval. He had been pestering his dragon slayer about going on a new mission all morning, and while Gajeel wanted to go, he wanted to wait even more. With a grunt and a shake of his head, the large mage dismissed his partner. Lily just glared at him, clearly angered by the man's thickness, before huffing in defeat and walking over to the request board yet again.

It had been over a month since the two had gone on a mission. Since the ones they selected were usually dangerous and high paying, they didn't need to go often. But neither could allow themselves to get too out of shape, and no amount of training replaced real battle. A miniscule smirk appeared on Gajeel's tan face as he thought of the thrill of a real, honest, brutally matched fight. There was nothing as thrilling or freeing in the world. But here he was, putting the prospect of such a fight on hold. All for a little shrimp.

He noticed it a few days ago. The small solid script mage would get to the guild later and later, her eyes becoming sullen and dark. The more he noticed, the more he realized it wasn't just the effects of a few nights of missed sleep, the way she insisted to the others that it was, due to her habit of reading late into the night. Whatever it was had been going on for a while. And it wasn't just her appearance that was affected. Whatever was keeping her up was messing with her fighting. He had seen her practicing with those two idiots she kept with her, and they were actually able to get the better of her, which was ridiculous. Gajeel had fought the shrimp, and fought along side her, and she was no weakling like those two.

When he had seen Dumb and Dumber take a job earlier without their precious bookworm, it shocked him. Maybe they noticed her slipping and wanted to protect her? No, that wasn't it. If they thought for one minute that something was wrong with the shrimp, they wouldn't leave her side.

The opening of the guild doors interrupted Gajeel's musings. He kept his eyes focused on the ruckus in the center of the guild, but he could tell by the scent of ink, parchment, lemongrass, and something he could best describe as fresh air, that Levy had finally arrived. Gajeel waited until she took a seat by Bunny Girl to look up at her. Sure enough, her eyes were dark, and her smile not quite what it should be. It bothered him more than he wanted to admit. Irked him to his core. Shorty was so lively, and the only time he saw her behave any less so was when something was seriously wrong. And nothing that he knew of was, which meant she was hiding something. He felt a growl start deep in his chest at the idea, surprising himself.

Tearing his eyes away from the blue haired girl, Gajeel reasoned away his concern over her. She was his nakama, a guild mate, and so it was natural for him to be concerned. And no matter how tough she was, she still wasn't as strong as a lot of the others. So that explained why he was more concerned for her than, say, Bunny Girl or even Wendy.

"Alright, this is the last mission up there that is suitable for us, so I suggest you agree to it." Lily grumbled as he returned to the table, put off by his partner's behavior.

Gajeel took the paper, reading over the details quickly. A small mountain town was being plagued by unknown magic. A different attack effected victims after dark every night. Sometimes the magic seemed like pranks, but recently they had become more threatening. The job was to catch those responsible and stop the attacks. Simple, and there was a 900,000 jewel reward. It was right up his alley.

Looking up again, though, Gajeel hesitated before finally agreeing. Something about leaving Shorty alone without even those two morons by her side felt wrong. Salamander's team was sure to leave before he would get back, leaving the blue haired girl practically alone. No, definitely not good.

"You could always ask her to join us. It might be nice, and then you won't have to stare at her longingly from across the guild." Lily suggested smugly, earning him a glare from his partner.

"I ain't staring longingly at nothin', ya damn cat."

The warrior cat was really perceptive, and while the rest of the guild was oblivious to Gajeel's unsubtle stares, Lily definitely was not. He gave unasked for advice, telling the dragon slayer to try this and that, but he could have been talking to a brick wall for all the good it did. Gajeel just didn't want to listen. He wasn't an idiot, but still, there was safety in refusing to admit even to himself what he felt. Him, feeling mushy and shit? No, there was no way that was in the cards, even if it was for her. It was all just friendly concern.

Still, asking Shorty on the mission would let him keep a closer eye on her. And isn't that what he wanted? He could make sure she got sleep, and actually, she would be pretty helpful in figuring out the magic plaguing the town a hell of a lot faster than he could.

"I'm gonna ask her in the morning." Gajeel grumbled, his anger rising as he noticed the exceed's knowing smile.

"It ain't cause of that! Somethin's off with her, and it just don't feel right leavin' her alone, okay?"

Lily nodded, having also noticed the change in Levy's demeanor. He would have mentioned it, but he was sure that Gajeel picked up on it before he had, and he was right. Lily liked the mild mannered bookish girl, and glad for the effect she had on his rough partner, so it did bother him to see her out of sorts as well. All in all, he thought this mission would be best for both of them_. _

"In that case, I shall go inform Mirajane of our selection." And with that, Lily strode over to the busty barmaid and handed her the paper, leaving Gajeel to go back to his inspection of Levy.

She was nose deep in a thick book, oblivious to the world around her. He had always found it hysterical that she cut herself off so much that a colossal fight could break out around her and she wouldn't even notice. On the boat to Tenrou Island, he stood behind her talking for ten minutes before realizing that the damn shrimp couldn't even hear him. Even when he used her as an armrest, something that usually got him slapped, she didn't stir.

Looking closer, though, he could tell she wasn't completely withdrawn into the book the way she should have been. Her eyes kept darting to the door, and every so often she would huff and change which hand she leaned on. Something was bothering her, keeping her from being fully focused on reading, which never happened to the bookworm. At least, not that he had seen.

'_Che, it's not like I know everythin' about her, though.'_

But Gajeel knew a lot. More than he wanted to admit. He couldn't help it. She was interesting, and there were only so many fights he could get into before he got bored of punching Salamander in the face. Also, he knew fighting in the guild came with the risk of being punished by Titania, and there was no way he was gonna let that happen again! Once was more than enough.

So he took to watching his guild mates instead, and Shorty just happened to be the most entertaining. She was lively, and just looking at her made Gajeel feel less trapped in the dark. Maybe a part of that was because she was lively despite his presence. Oh, he knew she forgave him a while ago, and they had even been partners before, though that was more at his insistence than hers. They fought together at the battle in Crocus, and a few times since then. And it surprised him every time she was able to stand beside him and be herself in spite of the past. Cause he had yet to be able to stand next to her without it haunting him.

No, he didn't want to think about that here. Those thoughts were saved for when no one, not even Lily, could see him. Regret was the only thing worse than pity, and he hated it. It would be worse if everyone knew how much he still hated himself for hurting the people here, especially since everyone had moved on. Though Fairy Tale was mostly made of idiots, they were his idiots now. He knew deep down that he could trust anyone here without a doubt, even if he felt closer to some than others, and that was way better than anything he had at Phantom Lord.

Gajeel rolled his neck, trying to loosen up after sitting for too long.

"Gonna go for a walk. See ya at home." He said turning to Lily before getting up and walking out of the guild.

As he passed the front table, he could smell that unique scent and it messed him up good, as it always did. There was something about it that sent his stomach reeling and got his blood pumping. It was delicious in the most dangerous sense of the word. It excited and terrified him, knowing what his reaction meant. But he really didn't have to worry, since he knew he would never act on it.

'_Damn, I really fucked myself with that one._' The realization floated through his mind as he meandered through the streets of Magnolia.

Gajeel never really had time for women. They confused him and annoyed him with their round about way of talking and stupid games. Sure, he would take home the loose ones that would hang around Phantom Lord's old hall for a quick fuck, but he didn't have the time or patience for anything more. He even had an easy lay every once in a while when he was out on missions after joining Fairy Tail. That was enough to satisfy him for a time, but no matter how hard he tried, Gajeel knew he'd never be able to get that scent out of his mind. Levy wasn't an easy girl, though, and like hell would he hurt her and treat her like she was. And there was no way in hell he'd ever be able to go the other route, so Gajeel resigned himself to the silent sweet torture. It wasn't so bad, once he got used to it. But some nights, dreams would come without permission to let him wonder just how _good _it could be. Visions filled his head of her small tight body, fitting perfectly under him, around him…

Gajeel grunted as he dug his nails into his fist, stopping the unwelcome thoughts as he reached the park in the center of town. He walked over to the large tree in the center, sitting beneath its shade and letting the bark dig into the back of his skull as he leaned his head against the trunk. He did it on purpose, knowing the physical pain along with the memory of the place would banish the images of Levy from his mind through sheer guilt. His breathing had become heavy through the effort of his restraint. He couldn't think of her that way. It only made it harder for him. If he was gonna take her on the mission, he better get a grasp on his damn self control otherwise there'd be problems.

Of course, at that moment, what should grab his attention other than the scent of parchment and lemongrass? Knowing he was no longer alone, but unwilling to meet her face to face, Gajeel hid behind the thick trunk as Levy made her way through the park, hopping from rock to rock like a little kid. Peaking from behind the tree, Gajeel could see her smile as she jumped, the smile on her face the entire time. And at that moment, he considered not asking her to go on the mission. Maybe he was just overreacting, because in front of him was a happy, carefree, bright, little fairy. But one look at her eyes and he could see even from the distance the dark rims around them.

'_I'll make sure she's okay tonight, and if she's still like this in the mornin', I'll leave her.'_ He decided as he watched the girl with vibrant blue hair turn away from the park and head down the road that led to Fairy Hills.

* * *

Later that night, Gajeel sat in a fork in a rather comfortable tree just outside of the girl's dorms. The little niche was the perfect vantage point into the room of the solid script mage, who had conveniently left her bedroom window open. Gajeel had gone home earlier and told Lily his idea. The cat looked let down a bit, like he wanted Shorty to come along or something, but agreed with the dragon slayer anyway. After eating a hearty meal of meat and iron, Gajeel made his way to Fairy Hills.

When he got there, his target was already passed out on her bed, book in her lap with the light still on. He had to laugh. She was a fully capable mage, and had even gotten the better of him at times, but damn she could be so absent minded about the simplest things.

Gajeel stayed there for a little bit, letting himself enjoy watching over her like some silent protector from those dumb books she was always lending Titania. But just as he was about to leave, content with her wellbeing, a sharp salty tang hit his sensitive nose. Standing in the tree, Gajeel leaned out onto one of the sturdier branches and looked closely at Levy. Her eyes were clenched shut and tears were streaming down her face.

'_Who the hell cries while they're sleepin'?_'

Still, the sight and smell of her tears unnerved him. He hated it, but there was nothing he could do from where he was. If he broke in and woke her, it would scare her. And then Titania would actually skin him alive. His hand dug deeper into the tree, letting some of his frustrations over being so useless out onto it. Now that he was paying attention, he could smell the dark musk of fear coming from inside the room.

'_She dreamin'? Must be a nasty __nightmare if it's makin' the shrimp that scared_.'

He wanted to take away her fear, beat the monsters back, anything to get the smell of tears and fear away from her. Every fiber of his body was compelling him to do something for her, but his control wouldn't let him move an inch. He was sure that his presence would do more harm than good.

Suddenly, Levy shot up in bed, fully awake. Her headband slipped from her hair, letting blue tresses fall unevenly around her shoulders with some longer strands stopping at the top of her back. A strangled cry escaped her mouth, and Gajeel could tell she was trying to scream. The branch cracked dangerously beneath his hands as he applied more pent up frustration on it. Could this be why the runt wasn't sleeping? A fucking nightmare was keeping her up? Damn it, why didn't she just ask to sleep over at Bunny Girl's if it was this bad? Stupid fucking bookworm!

Said bookworm was still trying to catch her breath when she jumped off of her bed and gathered her things before running out the door. Gajeel froze. There was no excuse now. He could go to her, calm her down, help her. A coincidence. Yeah, it was just a coincidence that he would run into her, so she wouldn't get scared or think he was weird. It took a minute for Gajeel's tense body to follow his thoughts, but once it did, it had him following that scent that he would know anywhere. He forced himself to walk at a normal pace, knowing if he showed up too quickly that it would be strange.

Eventually, he found himself at the park.

'_Just can't get away from here, can we, Shrimp?'_

A few feet from the tree in the center, he saw Levy sitting on a rock, holding herself and swaying, like the way a mom would sway with a kid to calm it down. He had seen that once or twice while traveling, but he never saw someone try to do it to themselves. The motion was so lonely it burned into his chest.

Not wanting to scare her any more, Gajeel approached the girl as slowly and as loudly as he could, but she just didn't seem to notice. Finally, when he was as close as he could get, he opened his mouth.

"Hey" he said quietly, his voice more a whisper. He didn't exactly know how to talk gently, and he didn't want to be rough, but that was as good as he was gonna get.

Still, Levy jumped when she heard his voice. Clearly, she didn't hear him walking over at all. She fell into a defensive position, and Gajeel tried to convince himself it was instinct and not personal, though the sight was too familiar for his liking, especially considering the location. Once Levy seemed to realize she wasn't being attacked, she looked up at him, her brown eyes clouded by tears. He hated everything about those eyes. They shouldn't look like that.

"O-oh Gajeel. I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you." Levy's voice was so quiet, so scratchy and raw, that if it wasn't for his sensitive hearing, he would have missed it. "What are you doing out here so late?"

His jaw clenched as he heard the tint of concern lacing her words. She was worried about him? He didn't know if he was angry or happy at that. '_Stupid. You should be concerned about you. I can handle myself.'_

"Couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk." He lied effortlessly, taking a seat on the uncomfortable rock beside her. "Whadda bout you, Shrimp?"

"Same." was all she offered before looking back down at her hands.

He could smell fresh tears, but her hair hid her face from him. He had never seen it down before, without one of those bands she usually wore. It was nice, but he didn't like not being about to see her face.

"You okay?" Gajeel kept his voice from betraying just how deep his concern went.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Her voice was too light, too happy. It was forced. It was wrong.

"Liar."

Levy lifted her head, wiping her wrist across her eyes subtly, but not subtle enough to escape Gajeel's scrutiny. She turned to him and smiled. While it was small, it was still genuine, and that seemed to ease some of the tension the dragon slayer had felt building up since the girl had first run from her apartment.

"You always seem to see right through me, Gajeel."

"Yer an open book, Shorty. Not my fault." He threw back, turning away so she wouldn't see his relief. Not that he thought she could see much in the night anyway, but better to be sure.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Silence followed. It wasn't awkward, the way it so often was between them, but Gajeel wasn't satisfied. He wouldn't be until he knew why she was so damn scared and put a stop to it. Permanently. He tilted his head towards her to get her attention, then raised a studded metal eyebrow, silently asking for her to continue.

Levy chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm just not sleeping well."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Huh?" Levy's eyes widened at Gajeel's confession, and he wanted to punch himself for that one.

"Well, its not like circles like that appear after one all-nighter." He said after hesitating a bit, pointing at her face.

"O-oh, right." Levy nodded, letting the silence fall around them again.

Gajeel never had this problem before. Usually the girl was bubbly, never hesitating to talk about anything, and when the topic was thoroughly discussed, she would move onto the next one. He never had to do anything other than nod, grunt, and occasionally put in his two cents. Now, he had no clue how to make her open up. He began drumming his fingers against the rock, trying to get some sort of inspiration.

"I'll be fine, though. It's just something I have to sort through."

His fingers paused mid-beat as Gajeel looked over at Levy, grateful that she spoke up and surprised as well. But that meant that she sensed his worry.

'_Eh, it's not like I was really hidin' it anyway.'_

He toyed with what to say next, but only one thing came to mind.

"Me an' Lily were plannin' on goin' on a mission tomorrow. Since yer idiots aren't gonna be back for a while, you could come with us if ya want."

The way he said it put all the weight of the decision on her, an offer more than a direct invitation. But his intention was clear. He was offering company in place of her being stuck here alone.

"I'd like that." Levy responded. "Thank you."

Her words were warm, and they made Gajeel heat up, too. He gave her a rare smile, though he knew all she could see in the darkness was the flash of his piercings and the glint of his elongated canine teeth. Not the most comforting sights, but the message got through, because sure enough Levy smiled back at him.

"Alright. We leave on the first train out in the mornin'." He informed her, standing and stretching his stiff muscles. Even though he still didn't know what was bothering Levy, he was closer, and the smell of fear was completely gone. For now that was enough.

"Come on, Shorty. Best get ya back so you can rest up. Ain't gonna be much of that durin' the mission."

Levy nodded and stood next to him. Gajeel sincerely hoped that she would be able to get some sleep before the morning. It wouldn't be good for anyone if Levy were too tired to really help. He and Pantherlily went all out on their missions. They would try to tone it down for her, but she still had to keep up.

Gajeel turned to head toward Fairy Hills, making sure Levy got there safe. Usually she would make a fuss if he or anyone did that, but tonight she didn't fight it. While it was nice, a part of him wished she would have. That spunk let him know that she was okay, and it was missed. He wanted his Levy back.

'_No, not my __Levy. Just the regular Levy_.' He reminded himself.

They made it back to the dorms rather quickly, and Levy turned to face him before going inside.

"Thank you, Gajeel."

Simple and short, but the dragon slayer felt like she was saying something else, too. He reached out and mussed her thick blue mane, smirking when Levy puffed out her cheeks at the gesture. '_There's that fire.'_

"Anytime, Shrimp. See ya."

With that, Gajeel turned and made his way back to his apartment, unsure of what the next few days would bring.

* * *

**Well, there ya have it, the second chapter! I wanted to establish Gajeel's voice and frame of mind so that going forward things wouldn't seem out of character. Mostly, chapters won't be like this where I'm reiterating past events in a different voice before expanding on them, though I will be writing from both Levy and Gajeel's perspectives.**

**Thanks for reading! I'll be back next week with chapter three!**


	3. A Train Ride and A Warning

**Hello everyone!**

**I just wanted to thank everyone who commented from the bottom of my heart. It makes me so happy that you are engaged in the story enough to write to me. And thank you for all the encouragement. **

**I apologize for missing my Friday deadline, it was a holiday and I couldn't finish writing until this afternoon. But, I made sure to push through and get it out before the new week. **

**Alright, so without further ****adieu, here's chapter three.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tale or the song Gravity.**

* * *

_~Set me free_

_Leave me be,_

_I don't wanna fall another moment_

_Into your gravity~_

Levy stared at her bags intently, going over her mental checklist to ensure that nothing was left behind. She knew that if Gajeel picked this mission, it would be intense, so she had to be as prepared as possible. The invitation had been a bit of a shock, but then again, Levy figured that was the best the rough mage had thought of to calm her down.

To say she was embarrassed that Gajeel had found her the previous night was an understatement. She was mortified that anyone saw her in such a state. It always made her uncomfortable when people saw her get upset like that. It just made it worse that she tried so hard to prove herself as a formidable comrade to Gajeel, only to have him find her crying like a baby in the middle of the night. Still, a small smile tugged at her lips as she remembered how he listened to her. He wasn't very forward, but she could tell he cared, and it made her feel better.

But all his concern would be pointless if she couldn't get a grip on her nightmare. It was getting worse. Before, it had only held the horror of _that_ night, the anguish she felt over watching her two best friends be struck down in front of her while she could do nothing to stop it, the fear she had felt looking up at the tall, dark figure, and the pain when his large fist struck her stomach and sides. But worse than all that was the complete disappointment she felt in herself. Was that all it took to take her down? Others had suffered way worse, but she could do nothing but meagerly try to defend herself before her attacker secured her to the tree, marking her flesh with his guild mark.

Now, though, the dream showed him hurting, or already dead, and that shook her worse than anything. It reinforced what she already knew in her heart, what Jet and Droy reminded her on a daily basis. Levy shouldn't feel this way for Gajeel. It was as simple as that. He, without restraint or guilt, had hurt her friends and then turned his violence towards her, all in order to get a rise out of the master. She could forgive him, since he apologized and had proven himself to her. She could accept him, since he was her nakama, a member of Fairy Tail. But she should not be able to feel so…there weren't even words for what she felt for the large brute of a man. Affection? Well, there was certainly that. Admiration? Definitely. What kind of person would admire their attacker, though!?

But Levy also knew that the Gajeel who was a member of Fairy Tail, the man who sat by her side last night, was not the man that attacked her. He wasn't. In her head and her heart, she knew that.

'_Now if only my subconscious would catch up.'_

Her dreams were melding everything together; her fear of the man that attacked her, shattering any façade of safety that she had, and her fear for the man she held in her heart. The fact that both fears regarded the same man only made everything more confusing.

Levy leaned back against a bookshelf, resting her head on the hard wood. If everything she had figured out about her dream was right, then she had a plan. She would just have to be stronger. Simple, but it was the best she had. Once everything in her realized she was strong enough to handle herself against anything, she wouldn't be afraid of her past, and she'd be brave enough to face the future. In the meantime, though, Levy figured at least she could start with doing a bit of research about dream control and mental exercises that could possibly help. Getting there, though, would be a massive challenge.

But it was a challenge that she didn't have time to think about at the moment. Straightening off of the shelf, Levy took a steading breath and grabbed her duffel and swung it over her shoulder before securing her satchel full of books across her small torso. She picked her keys up off her dresser and gave her room one last sweeping glance. Satisfied that she didn't forget anything, Levy turned off the main light, remembering to keep the small lacrima that lay on the floor active. It would turn on and emit light when she returned so that she wouldn't have to be in the dark too long. She left her room, shutting the door firmly behind her and made her way to the train station.

The early morning light was blinding as Levy made her way through the town. Really, if it was up to her, there would be no traveling before midmorning. Maybe some of that was in light of her recent insomnia like habits, but she really hated waking up so early. She was just too tired to think straight. Though she supposed it was better than the opposite, and wasting the day. In any case, there was nothing she could do about it, and she marched through the town as fast as her small sleep deprived body would allow.

Reaching the station, Levy scanned the crowd for her large partner. People were bristling past, eager to be on their way, their shoes clacking in tune on the wooden platform. Her target should be pretty difficult to miss, but for some reason, the petite girl just couldn't find him among the throng of people preparing for their morning commute.

"'Bout time, Shrimp." The gruff voice was so close to her back that it sent shivers down her spine. Pivoting around as fast as she could, Levy looked up to see just the man she was looking for.

"Jeez, Gajeel, you didn't have to sneak up on me!" she huffed.

"Ya should've been payin' attention." Gajeel shot back at her, already turning to head toward the train. "I already got our tickets, so c'mon before we miss our ride!"

Levy shook her head lightly before she felt a small weight settle on top of her hair.

"Are you alright, Levy?" Pantherlily asked from his perch.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered, reaching up and scratching the top of the exceed's head before setting off to follow Gajeel.

The team boarded the train and found an empty compartment. Gajeel lifted his relatively small bag up into the luggage hold. Without a word, he turned and grabbed Levy's bags with ease, pulling them off of her small shoulders and hauling them up to rest with his.

"Oi, Shrimp. What the hell did ya pack, cinderblocks? I'm surprised you were able to carry those all the way here." He commented gruffly, taking a seat on one of the plush benches. Levy sat opposite him as Lily jumped down from Levy's head to settle in her lap.

"I'm full of surprises for those who don't know better." Was her witty reply, not wanting to think on how happy Gajeel's appraisal of her strength had made her. "And I thought it would be prudent to bring a few references. Since there is so much we don't know about the magic that's wrecking the town, it's better to have more information than less."

However, when the train began to lurch forward, it wasn't a rare magic book that Levy pulled out, but one that focused on the dream realm, the subconscious, and the power of the mind. She hoped beyond hope that she would be able to find the answer to her little problem within. She couldn't afford any more nights like the previous one, especially now that she was on what would surely be a tasking mission, and her mission to get stronger would take too much time. She needed a quicker remedy.

Lily leaped down from his perch to sit beside Levy, looking curiously at the book she held, but the girl was prudent enough to keep the title covered by her hand. Though she knew it was likely that the exceed knew about her situation from Gajeel, she sill didn't want to advertise it. Soon, he seemed to lose interest in her, refocusing his attention on Gajeel, eyeing him carefully.

Following his lead, Levy looked across the compartment. The Iron Dragon Slayer looked angry, his gaze focused menacingly out the window, as if the now quickly passing landscape offended him. Confused, Levy observed him, trying to figure out how his mood had soured so fast. After a few minutes, the large man groaned, rather pathetically in Levy's opinion, which was very out of character for the proud mage. A single arm slung loose around his middle as he slumped further into the plush upholstery of the train. Eventually, he slid so far that he was lying down completely.

"Gajeel….?" Levy probed cautiously. Instead of the usual snap of "What, Shrimp?" she was answered only by a small growl.

"Gajeel, do you get motion sickness like Natsu?" she asked, a little surprised. Of course, it made sense since she recalled at the games, none of the dragon slayers managed well in the chariot event, but he was nowhere near this uncomfortable looking on the boat to Tenrou.

"Don't…compare me…to…Salamander. I ain't…as bad…as that." Gajeel huffed. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but closed it quickly, deciding that it was a bad idea. He looked over at Pantherlily for help.

"What Gajeel means to say," the black exceed began, "is that all dragon slayers suffer from motion sickness. However, since Gajeel is slightly more mature, in dragon terms that is, than Natsu, he can control his ailment better. Though he still acts like a baby from time to time." Lily smirked.

Gajeel moved as if to get up, grumbling at his partner, but the train jarred a bit on the tracks just at the opportune moment, sending the man back down onto the bench and saving the exceed from a stern talking to.

Levy smiled at their antics. She knew the two were close, just as Happy and Natsu and Carla and Wendy were. But still, seeing them like this was different. They were a real team, standing by each other but bickering all the same. It actually reminded her a bit of her two best friends. Though she could usually get them to stop, it wasn't rare for either Jet or Droy to quarrel over who could accomplish more. Lu-chan usually complained of similar spats within her team, mostly between Gray and Natsu.

Once the possibility of conversation was gone, Levy began skimming over her book. The great and mighty dragon slayer moaned in discomfort until he eventually passed out, followed quickly by Lily who actually seemed to find the motions of the train comforting, if his loud purring was anything to go by. Once both her partners were down and out, the petite mage put on her gale force reading glasses and reexamined her text more seriously.

_"It is the opinion of some experts that dreams are the extension of our subconscious desires, though the representation in the dream itself may be skewed…."_

Not interested in the basic background information or the ramblings of someone decoding dreams, Levy skipped ahead. She flipped past the first chapter, skimming the first few pages of the succeeding chapters, until she came across something interesting.

"_While many ancient cultures took the study of dreams as prophecy, there was a particular group that believed in the ability to control dreams. Legend from other cultures of the time call this group the Kchalomite people and recorded that the Maegai, or great mage, would use dream magic to cure stress, insomnia, and even to attack enemies through dark dreams to prevent war. _

_While there is no evidence to support the existence of dream magic, and very little known about the Kchalomites beyond scribbles from other cultures, it is possible that they did indeed appear to control dreams, though not in the way it was perceived in the ancient world. There are some branches of illusionary magic found today that can produce similar results to those recorded. It is the belief of anthropologists and archeologists in the field that this was confused for a greater power in ancient times…"_

The next few paragraphs went on to explain in further detail how the two magic types were alike based on the few records available, and further how it was believed the Maegai controlled the dreams based on the legends. Pieces of an incantation were recovered at a dig site, a long with votive statues speculated to be in likeness of a real person considering the detail which was unusual for art of the time. The more Levy read, the more intrigued she became. It was interesting, a read she would enjoy had she not been on a mission to find an answer.

But she was, and while she wanted to, Levy couldn't allow herself to get lost in the words. Instead, she focused on a picture close up of the ancient incantation carved and then painted onto stone. It wasn't a language anyone had been able to decipher as of yet, but Levy had to try. Besides, she specialized in linguistics and codes. She was sure she'd be able to crack it eventually, and the sooner the better. First, though, she'd have to look at other languages from the time and find a common thread. Actually, she would need two or three for accuracy, but she'd settle for one to start. She pulled down her other books and got to work.

Once Levy started, she couldn't be contained. She lived for etymology, finding it fascinating to discover the roots and meanings of different words, how they are applied, and how they can connect to others in completely different languages, giving an entirely new meaning to a phrase! The little nuances that give a deeper understanding and a secret message if one took the time to read between the lines. This was her kind of battle, one where her mind struggled around a problem or concept. She felt so wonderful when she figured it out, like she could do anything.

The one thing she couldn't do, though, was keep her eyelids from slipping lower and lower, obstructing her vision. She hadn't slept a full night in months, and she barely got any rest last night. Though she fought it, sleep tugged harder, and eventually won. Slowly, as part of her mind still battled for consciousness, her head lowered onto her books, pushing her glasses up and pressing them into the bridge of her nose. Her pen slipped from her slackened fingers and fell to the floor. Levy's light breathing accompanied Lily's purring and Gajeel's boisterous snores.

XOXOXOXOX

"Oi. Wake up."

Levy grimaced as sound pierced through the wonderful nothingness she had previously been suspended in. Angry at the gruff voice, she turned her head to tuck further into the inside of her arm and ignored it.

"Shimp! We're here."

This time, the voice was joined by an equally unwelcome pat to her head. The large, calloused hand fit around easily and mussed her hair, but for once, Levy didn't care about that. All the cared about was how it was pulling her from the sanctity of her unconscious state.

"No." was all she mumbled.

"Yes." The voice was closer now, too close, and she could feel warm air hit her. "Don't make me carry ya outta here. You know I will, Shorty."

"Gajeel…." A kinder voice chastised. "Levy, we need to get off, but you can sleep once we find a hotel." The large hand was replaced by a tiny weight that tugged lightly on her bangs. "Come on, Levy, you can do it."

The bookworm was awake enough to know that Pantherlily was teasing her, but she just couldn't care. She was finally relaxed.

Wait a minute…she was relaxed. She had slept soundly for who knows how long, without issue. Opening her eyes, Levy took in the books that served as her pillow, her pen, now crushed under Gajeel's heavy boot. Pulling her glasses off, she probed the tender flesh underneath where a red indent remained. She looked up at Gajeel, but didn't focus on him. Instead, she was trying to figure out how she felt so rested. No nightmare, no tears, no screaming. She was beyond relieved, considering how mortifying an episode in public would have been, but there wasn't a single instance in months where she had slept and not dreamed. She was confused, but realized as her partners looked at her expectantly that now was not the time to think on it.

While she took her time getting up, Gajeel had pulled down Levy's bags and dropped them at her feet, letting her repack all the books she had pulled, before moving to leave the train. Situating the bags on her back, Levy jogged to catch up to Gajeel and Lily, leaping off the train onto the platform.

"Is this the town we're supposed to help?" Levy asked, looking around. It wasn't as large as Magnolia, but it was a fairly busy place, with people walking to and fro in the late afternoon light. Upon noticing the sinking sun, Levy guessed at the time and calculated just how long they'd been on the train. Which meant she slept for most of the day.

"Nah, we're gonna need to hike a bit to get there. This was the last stop on the line, so it's as close as we're gonna get for now." Gajeel answered, surveying the area. "A'ight. You and Lily find us some grub. I'll go look for a place to stay for the night."

And without even giving Levy the chance to respond, he left.

"Okay, then…" Levy grumbled. She was still muffed from having to wake up, and it showed in her attitude. Her usually cheery disposition darkened a bit, since not only was she unsure if she could repeat the restful sleep tonight, but she couldn't understand why now, after all this time, she had escaped her nightmare.

"Shall we?"

Levy looked down at Lily and gave a half-cocked smile.

" Yeah." She agreed, nodding her head. Taking a breath, Levy tried to right herself, feeling off being so melancholy. It just wasn't her. "What do you want to eat, Lily?"

The small cat held a paw to his chin in thought. "Chicken." Was his simple answer and began to walk down the street in the direction opposite of the one Gajeel had taken, his nose twitching.

Levy followed along side him and giggled. "I would have thought you'd say fish for sure."

"I do enjoy fish a lot, but it's not all I like. The only one who can eat nothing but fish and be content is Happy."

"Ah, I see. So you're a more picky kind of cat." Levy remembered his teasing on the train, and took her opportunity to return it.

Pantherlily gave her a look from the corner of his eye.

"No, I just open myself up to new experiences. Something everyone should want to do." He shot back, adding a little "hmph" at the end.

Levy reached down and picked up the now sour kitty, holding him in the crook of her arms. He struggled for a bit, clearly not happy with being treated like a cute accessory rather than the fierce fighter he was, but when the bluenette refused to let go, he calmed down and actually relaxed into her hold.

"I'm sorry, Lily, I was just having a bit of fun. Besides, I had to pay you back for your comment on the train."

"I wasn't sure if you were awake enough to remember." He smirked.

With a roll of her eyes, Levy gave a small "Mm-hmm!" and let it drop, sure that over the next few days she would have another chance to tease the exceed.

"Turn left here." He commanded with a point of his paw.

"Why?"

"Something smells delicious down that way and I want to find it."

"Hehe, okay."

Following Lily's instructions, Levy turned down the narrow side street and let Lily guide her until they came to a small, hole in the wall style shop. There were a few patrons loitered outside, leaning on the brick wall and enjoying some sort of wrap. Past them in the store that was lit by a yellow-tinted light, a small woman moved furiously behind a mid-sized counter. Her hands were so fast that it was difficult to keep up as she stoked the fire that lay in a small pit on the charcoal covered floor before moving to slice off pieces of chicken from the spit as it turned over the fire. Taking the meat and other toppings of choice, she expertly wrapped them into a tight cylinder shape and handed it over to a grateful customer.

"Is this the place?" Levy asked quietly.

In her arms, Lily nodded, his mouth open wide and a slight bit of drool coming out, causing Levy to laugh.

"Alright! Let's get some food!"

She squeezed into the shop, edging the wall as the now satisfied customer left. Approaching the counter, Levy looked down at the array of toppings. There were all sorts of greens, veggies, and sauces.

"Your order?" the lady behind the counter asked, though her tone made it clear that it was more of a command and not so much a question.

"Um…" Levy hesitated, unsure of what she wanted. Luckily Lily spoke up.

"Two wraps with chicken, pickles, red peppers, sweet sauce, and cheese, please." He said without hesitation. To her credit, the woman didn't even flinch at the sight of a talking cat and immediately jumped into action filling the order. Once she finished, she laid the sandwiches on the counter. Levy assumed the second wrap was for Gajeel, considering Lily wouldn't just order for her without asking and the ingredients didn't really suit her taste.

"That all?" she asked, punching in numbers on her rather old cash register.

"Ah, no." Levy said, having decided. "One more chicken wrap with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo, apple slices, and vinaigrette dressing, please."

With a nod, the woman was off again. While her wrap was being made, Levy placed Lily down on the counter and turned to get some napkins, knowing that neither guy would ever think that maybe their meal might be messy, and she wasn't looking forward to wearing hers.

"Is that a guild mark?"

She turned her head to see the woman done fashioning her wrap and packing the order into a bag, her eyes trained on Levy's shoulder. Turning around completely, Levy went back over to the counter.

"Yes it is. I'm a member of the Fairy Tail guild. How much will it be?"

"Eighteen Jewels. You up here for Monri, the town up the mountain?"

Before Levy could ask if that was the troubled town since Gajeel never actually told her the name of where they were going, Lily answered.

"Yes, we received a request and came to see if we could help. We're headed up to the town tomorrow."

The woman and Levy exchanged the food and money. Before she was able to put her change away, Levy's hand was grasped hard by the woman's iron grip.

"You're gonna want to be careful. My nephew, lazy thing that he is, lived up there till a few weeks ago. Says that magic's some powerful thing. Each person is attacked differently, but they all end the same: broken. No one can predict who will be attacked, and no ones been able to do a damn thing about it. So you be careful, girlie. Mark my words, whatever's behind this ain't gonna be happy to have mages poking about. You'll be targeted."

With that, the woman turned to help the next customer in line, leaving the small mage a little shaken, the encounter had been so unexpected. Casting a questioning look to Lily, the exceed merely shrugged in response, but he also looked concerned by the warning. Taking hold of their order, Levy turned to leave, walking away rather briskly and forcing Lily to fly behind her.

"Lily! Shrimp!"

The two turned to see Gajeel walking toward them, a large bundle underneath his arm.

"Damn, that smells good." He commented gratefully. "C'mon, I got us rooms not far from here."

The black haired mage walked past the pair, leading the way to the hotel. As they walked, Lily explained the encounter with the woman at the shop. Gajeel didn't seem to do much with the information, accepting it and shrugging it away. Levy knew he couldn't care about attracting the wrong kind of attention. Actually, she was almost sure that he would prefer a direct confrontation.

They reached the hotel, which was more like an inn in size and layout, and walked passed the front desk down the hall to their rooms. Stopping halfway down, Gajeel dropped the bundle he'd been carrying, revealing it to be a pile of iron, and reached into his pocket, producing a tiny brass key which he handed to Levy.

"Here. Figured ya'd want your own room. Yers is that one there, 110."

Levy nodded, grateful that Gajeel had actually thought of it, but then realized that meant that he had paid for her room.

'_And he paid for my ticket earlier, too. Well, I paid for his food…maybe if I pay for a few more meals, we'll be even."_

The thought of the food reminded her that she still held the boys' meals. Taking her own wrap out of the bag, she handed the rest over, which Gajeel accepted greedily.

With nothing more, he put the key into his own room, 112, and unlocked the door.

"Goodnight." Levy called, unlocking her own door.

"Yea, um, 'night." Was the mumbled response from the dragon slayer.

"Goodnight, Levy." Lily said.

* * *

**Sorry for Gajeel being so distant in this chapter, but that will be explained soon. And what about this warning? Or the interesting information in Levy's book? Well, the next chapter will be out next Friday! **

**Oh, the name of the "ancient people" is pronounced "khal-o-mite". The kh sound is a soft guttural sound, like you're clearing your throat. It's a play on words using the Hebrew word for dream, kchalom. It's hard to transliterate that guttural sound since there's nothing like it in English. But since Levy mentioned the wonders of ****Etymology, or the study of words, I thought it would be a fun tidbit of information. **

**Thanks for reading and I'll be back next week! **


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